Variable position radar scanning switch



Oct. 28, 1958 WA. RANCK, JR., ETAL 2,857,783

VARIABLE POSITION RADAR SCANNING SWITCH Filed Feb. 16, 1956 Fig. 3

!N\ENT('1R$ W/LL/AM A. RANC'K JR. THOMAS IV. MASSEY BY )f Z24 wATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,857,783 VARIABLE POSITION RADARSCANNING SWITCH William A. Rauck, Jr., and Thomas N. Massey, Baltimore,Md., assignors, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America asrepresented by the Secretary of the Navy Application February 16, 1956,Serial No. 566,055

2 Claims. (Cl. 74-531) The present invention relates to a selectivelyvariable position sector switch for controlling the particular sector inwhich a radar scans. More particularly the invention relates to avariable position sector switch for radar control in which the switcharm may be firmly held in any position within its range of movement,thus to adjust the scanning of the radar beam with great accuracy.

Prior art switches have been limited in their adjustment to a number ofspaced positions with no provision for holding the switch arm in any ofthe positions between the aforementioned spaced positions.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedvariable position sector switch for controlling the scanning sector of aradar beam which may be held in any position within its range ofadjustment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedvariable position sector switch for controlling the scanning sector of aradar beam which is simple in construction and economical to construct.

A further object is to provide a control lever of simple constructionwhich will remain in any selected position and which may be set at anyposition within its limits.

A final object of the invention is to provide an improved friction meansfor holding in any position within its limits of movement the adjustingarm of a variable position sector switch for controlling the scanningsec tor of a radar beam.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a view in elevation of the switch of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like numeralsindicated like parts throughout the several views, indicates generallythe switch or control means of the present invention. A plate portion 11is bolted or otherwise secured to a selsyn motor 12 or similar remotecontrol device, the securing means being indicated at 13. One side ofthe plate portion 11 is enlarged or flanged as at 14 and has a slot 15formed therein.

Selsyn motor 12 has a shaft 16 extending therefrom for rotating thearmature thereof to various positions, thus to control the scanning of aradar beam within desired areas of operation, as is well-known in theart. A

2,857,783 Patented Oct. 28, 1958 control arm or handle 17 is fixed toshaft 16 by a set screw 18 and has a gripping portion 19 at the otherend thereof. Control arm 17 extends through the slot 15, the grippingportion extending beyond the enlarged portion 14 of the plate 11.

A pair of oppositely disposed substantially L-shaped spring members 21are mounted in slot 15 in a manner to frictionally engage opposite sidesof the arm 17. The spring members 21 are secured to enlarged portion 14by screws 22 or, if desired, any other means may be em ployed forsecuring the springs such, for example, as welding. Springs 21 are eachprovided with a flange 23 running along the length thereof through whichthe screws 22 may extend. Springs 21 are also each provided with anarched portion 24 which frictionally engages arm 17. A lip portion 25extends along the length of each spring 21 on the. side opposite to theflange 23, the lip portion engaging one of the Walls of slot 15 in eachcase.

At each end of slot 15 is an angularly disposed wall 26 through which anangularly disposed limit screw 27 extends. Screws 27 govern the outerlimits of movement of the arm 17 which swings within the slot 15.

As seen particularly in Fig. 2, the springs frictionally engage oppositesides of the arm 17 with suflicient force to prevent arm 17 fromaccidently moving out of an adjusted position. However,- the friction onarm 17 provided by the springs is not strong enough to restrict easymanipulation of the arm. If desired, a lubricant such as molybdenumdisulphide may be applied to the springs to facilitate manual adjustmentthereof without impairing the holding of the arm in a set position.

It will be seen, from the foregoing, that the present invention providesa control arm gripping means having the facility of holding the arm inany position throughout the range of movement of the arm. Thus thesector of scan of the radar beam controlled by the arm may be adjustedinfinitesimally in contradistinction to prior art controls wherein thescan of the beam may be controlled only in a set series of spaced steps.Of course, the invention may be used whenever such a control arm isdesired, other than in connection with radar apparatus.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

'1. Radar control apparatus comprising, a frame member having an openingtherein, a remote control device secured in said opening for controllingthe scanning sector of a radar beam, said remote control device havingan axially disposed shaft extending therefrom, a flange member on saidframe and having a slot therein, a lever arm secured to said shaft andextending through said slot, a pair of spring members extending alongthe length of said slot and frictionally engaging said lever arm onopposite sides thereof, said spring members presenting along the entirelength thereof a smooth flat surface to said lever arm whereby the armmay be set at any position along the lengths of said spring members.

2. Radar scanning control apparatus comprising, a plate member ofsubstantially T-shaped cross-section, a remote control device secured tosaid plate member, said remote control device having an adjusting shaftrotat ably mounted therein and extending therefrom, said plate memberincluding a flange portion having a slot formed therein, a lever armfixedly mounted on said shaft and extending at a right angle therefromthrough said slot,

a pair of elongated spring members mounted in opposing relation on saidflange and being substantially L- shaped in cross-section, one run ofthe L of each spring member being slightly arched and extending intosaid slot, the arched portion of each spring member frictionallyengaging the lever arm on one side thereof, and adjusting screwsthreadedly mounted at the ends of said elongated slot to limit the swingof said lever arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSPringle Jan. 31, 1911 Anderson Dec. 11, 1923 House June 20, 1933Gardiner Jan. 27, 1948 Ashleman June 3, 1952

